Method of producing finger-ring guards



`May 7, 1929. f l H, I Evm 1,712,276

METHOD 0F PRODUCING FINGER RING GUARDS Filed March 26, 1928 AT'TORNY Patented May 7, 1929. i' i nanars LEVTN, or snnnronr, NEW YORK.

METHOD OF` PRODUCING FINGER-RING GUARDS.

Application tiled March 26, 1928. Serial No. 264,820.

the necessity oi soldering and considerable filing, by making each of them of one piece of sheet metal, preferably 14; carat gold, and wherein the end jaw members are softer than the side members Which are springy so as to hold the guard on the ring. i

Other objects of the invention are to provide a method whereby a practical ring guard is produced in which the soft end members are thinner and wider than the side members, in order to be able to readily7 cause the end jaw members to encircle the ring snugly and to remain so, and wherein the entire guard is smooth and presents no sharp edges anywhere Which Will come in contact with the linger or damage fabric material.

These being among the objects of the present invention, the same consists of certain novel method steps to be hereinafter described and then claimed with reference to the accompanying drawings which illustrate desirable embodiments of the invention and wherein:

Figure 1 is a plan of a metal preferred loop form;

Fig. 2 is a sectional detail of the male and female dies which are preferably used in the first step of forming up the blank;

Fig. 3 is a transverse section on the line Y 1.

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Fi 4; is a pl an of the .female die Fig. 5 is a plan of the blank after it has been subjected to the action of the said dies;

Fig. 6 is a sectional elevation showing an apertured plate through which a plunger is adapted to force the formed blank of Fig. 5 to bend it longitudinally@ Fig. 7 is a transverse section, partly inelevation, showing the plunger before it strikes the formed blank, the latter being held in the apertured plate before being operated on by the plunger; l i

bl ank `in the Fig. 8 is a transverse section on the line 8-8, Fig. 6;

Fig. 9 is a plan of the said apertured plate;

Fig. 10 is a sectional elevation showing means for finishing' the end javv members of the guard, While the latter is still in a formative state;

Fig. 1l is a transverse section on the line 11-11, Fig. 10;

\ Fig. 12 is a sectional elevation illustrating dies for bending and hardening the side members of the ultimate ring guard;

Fig. 13 illustrates a linger ring with the improved ring guard applied thereto, and

F ig. 14 is an enlarged section on the line n n, of Fig. `1e.

Referring to Fig. 1, a loop shaped .metal blank is illustrated Which comprises side members 15, 1G and end members 17 and 18 and the rst step of the method may include the forming of such a blank from a sheet of suitable metal such as 14. carat gold. It will be observed that the side members `15. 16 are curved inwardly toward each other and thatthe end members 17, 18 are curved out Wardly, the members 15, 16 being similar to each other' and the members 17, 18 being similar to each other. The four side and end members of the .soft sheet metal blank lie substanti ally in one plane.

Referring to Figs. 2, 3 and 4;, suitable dies are shown for subjecting parts of the sott sheet metal` blank to pressure so as to partly dcform the blank. A female die 19 is pro vided `with an impression or grooves 20, 21, 22, and 23 formed to the general shape of the blank shown in Fig'. 1. The side portions 20, 21 of the impression are formed substantially to the outlines of the side members 15, 16 of the blanks, While the end portions 22, 23 of the impression are curved longitudinally thereof, as shown in Fig. 3, said end portions 22, 23 being rather- Wider than the end members 17, 18 Vof the blank. The

male die 2l is provided With transverse forming ribs 25 which are slightly less in di mension transversely than at the portions Where they enter the impression portions 22, 23of the female die. There are-no corresponding compression ribs on the die 24, between the ribs 25, because it is not desired in this step of the method to act directly upon the metal of the side members 15, 16 of the blank.V y 1 The blankof Fig. 1 is placed in the impression of the female die 19 and pressure of suitable power is brought to bear on the male die 24,v whereby the end members 17 18 of the blank-arek slightly reduced in thickness and the metal thereof is caused to flow while cold so as to conform to the Width of the portions 2,2, 23 of the impression in the female die. At

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the same time the end members 17, 18 are slightly curved longitudinally while at the points 267the impression in the female die and the adjacent surfaces of the ribs 25 are slightly slanted upwardly, whereby to slightly turn up thev ends of the end members 17, 18, with the'resultthat the slightly bowed end members 17, 18 are somewhat out of the plane of the side members l5, 16. This fact in this step of the method is disclosed in dotted lines, Fig.'2.

The step of stamping the end members, as justdescribed, results in more or less hardenit-1gof the metal thereof. Hence after this step in the method, the blank is annealed so as to again soften the end members, and they are left substantially in such soft condition preferably throughoutthe ent-ire method.

The action of the dies just described results a formed blank such as shown in Fig. 5, wherein at the sides of the outer corners of the blank slightlyturned up portions 26ev are formed, the end members 17 18 being slightlybowed, as before stated.

j I The next step in the method is illustrated in "Figs, Vb, 7, 8and 9.v For this step a plate 27 is provided which has a longitudinal recess 28 anda longitudinal aperture 29. The recess 28 conforms substantially to the outlines of Ythe thus formed blank, so as to furnish a seat for Areceiving the same for being subjected to the action of a plunger 3() which is provided with a bending head 31. The longitudinalv aperture 29 in plate 27 'is of slightly greater dimensions than the plunger head 31.

In this step ofthe method, the blank as previously formed is placedy within the plate recess 28, with the bowed end members 17 18 so disposed that'they bow in the direction in jaws atr33 as clearly illustrated in Fig. 8 preliminarilyto the next step in the method. The .partially completed ring guard may be readily Vstripped off from the plunger head 31 Te longitudinal movement.

The next step/in the method is shown in Figs. 10 and 11, wherein means are disclosed 'for VimpartingV vfinal formation to the end jaws. These views do not illustrate the complete thus formed up blank for the ultimate ring guard which comprises side members 34, 34a and end jaw members 35, 35", such being illustrated in Figs. 12 and 14. these Figs. 1() and 11 illustrate one of the side members 34, a partially formed jaw member 32 as formed in the previous step of the method, and a completely finished jaw member 35, which has just been formed according to said figures. ln these views a die block 36 is provided with a downwardly tapering hole 37 to one side of which is a tongue 38 which projects thereinto longitlulinally thereof. A punch 39 is provided with a punching or forming member 40, and the cross-sections of the hole 37 and the forming member 4A() conform respectively to the contours of the outside and the inside of each jaw member of the ultimately formed ring guard. These cross-sections are such that when a` partially formed jaw member is insorted into the hole 37, with the tongue 38 entered in the unclosed gap at the ends of the jaw member. and the punch driven down into the hole, the partially turned over portions 33 of the formed blank (Fig. 8) will be fiattened, as shown in Fig. 11, and the final shape imparted to the jaw member, so as to finish that member. lVhen this has been done, the punch 39 is withdrawn and the so formed guard withdrawn from the die 36 and the partially formed jaw member 32 is then inserted within the hole 37 in the same manner as before described. The punch is then caused to enter the aperture 37 so as to finally form up and finish this second jaw member, and the guard is then withdrawn from the die, the jaws being then in finished condition. In order to abut the edge of the partially formed jaw member and to drive the latter snugly down into the hole 37. the punch 39 is lprovided with a transverse shoulder 41 located at the upper end ofthe forming member 41.

This finishing operation on the jaw members is such as to do away with the necessity of filing away sharp edges, and docs away with such waste. This and previous steps of the method, subsequent to the step of annealing. are carried out without considerable pressure. and do not tend to materially ha rden the ultimately formed jaw members, so that they remain in the desired soft or pliable condition, yet having some slight degree of sprmgmess.

The final step in the method is illustrated in Fig. 12. A recessed die 42 is provided in the recess with an anvil member 43 having a transverse circular contour which eorresponds to the ultimate curvature which it is desired to impart to the side members of the ring guard. A punch 44 is provided with a stamping and forming member 45 having a curvature complementary to the curvature of the anvil 43. In carrying out this step of the However,

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method, the guard as completed by the apparatus shown in Figs. l() and 1l is placed across the anvil i3 evenly and the stamping punch fl-t is driven down under suiiicient pressure so as to stamp the side members 34, 34a, shown in Fig. lll, to the desired curvature. The pressure in this step of the method is suiiicient to harden the side members 34, 34; so as to impart the desired springiness thereto. ly this stamping step, the sharp edges of the side members are removed so as to do away with the necessity ot' tiling and avoiding the waste of filings. During this step the already 'formed jaw members 35, 35a are not directly acted upon, but they are caused to be spread apart more coi'isiderably than in the previous step of the method.

Thus the ultimate linger ring guard shown in Figs. 13 and lll, is iinally formed, the side members 34, Si having the desired springiness and the end jaw members 35, 35a being soft and pliable and being thinnerl in cross section than the said side members. lu said lgures the guard is shown as applied to a linger ring, and it will be noted that the relatively thin j aw members snugly surround corresponding portions of the linger ring, and that the guard cannot turn upon the ring.

lt is a comparatively easy matter to apply the guard to a linger ring, which is performed by means of any suitable instrument or tool, which is caused to spread open each said jaw member so that it may be fitted to the ring, the jaw members being closed upon the ring and held thereon against accidental removal. rllhe metal of the jaw members 35, L being integral with the metal of the Side members 3d, Sila and being relatively thin and of in creased width, assists in holding the guard upon the ring, and there being no joints, the guard is not apt to break at any point there ot. The jaws of the form described not only lit the ring snugly at the outside, but at the inside thereof and provide a considerable area in trictional contact with the ring.

llt is obvious that the invention is susceptible to modification without (jlepartino` from the spirit et the invention as defined 1n the scope of the appended claims.

lVhat ll claim as new, is:

1. The herein described method of making finger-ring guards, comprising providing an elongated loop shaped blank oit soft metal having inwardly curved side members and outwardly curved end members, all niiembers lying in substantially one plane, subjecting the end members ot the blank to pressure to thin them relatively to the side members, bending the end members transversely into the form of open jaws and to bring the curved side members together in substantially parallel relation and so that the jaws will extend away from the side members, subjecting each end jaw to a finishing action, and subjecting the side members to sufficient pressure to harden them and to bend them inwardly be tween the end jaws, thereby producing the ultimate ring guard. j

2. The herein described method of making linger-ring guards, comprising providing an elongated loop shaped blank ot soft metal having inwardly curved side members and outwardly curved end members, all members lying in substantially one plane, subjecting the end members oi the blank to pressure to thin them relatively to the side members and to form them .in slight curves outward from such plane, bending the end members transversely into the form of open jaws and to bring the curved side members together in substantially parallel relation and so that the jaws will extend away from the side members, subjecting each end jaw to a finishing action, and subjecting the side members to sutlicient pressure to harden them and to bend them inwardly between the end jaws, thereby producing the ultimate ring guard.

3. The herein described method of making {niger-ring guards, comprising providing an elongated loop shaped blank of soft metal having inwardly curved side members and outwardly curved end members, all members lying in substantially one plane, subjecting the end members oi2 the blank to pressure to thin them relatively to the side members, annealing the thus treated blank, bending the end members transi'fersely into the form ot open jaws and to bring the curved'side members together in slibstantially parallel relation and so that the jaws will extend away from the side members, subjecting each end jaw to a finishing action, and subjecting the side members to suiicient pressure to harden them and to bend them inwardly between the end jaws, thereby producing the ultimate ring guard.

miams Levin. 

